Protect your home with foliage

As we face the challenges of a changing climate, it's more important than ever to take proactive steps to protect our homes and communities from the threat of wildfires. Let’s explore practical ways to make your home more resistant to wildfires, choose the best flowers for your garden, and work together with your neighbors to create a safer environment. And, believe it or not, we can be functional and beautiful at the same time.

One crucial step is to create a defensible space around your property. This means removing burnable materials like dead leaves, branches, and brush from within 30 feet of your home. The more, the better – but 30 feet is the bare minimum. Keep your lawn well-maintained and your gutters clean to prevent the accumulation of dry debris. Consider using fire-resistant building materials, such as metal roofing and fiber cement siding, when constructing or renovating your home. Metal roofing is so function in Alaska between wildfire resistance and snow load sliding.

When landscaping within 30 feet of your home, it's important to choose flowers that will resist fire embers from igniting them. A program called Firewise that is used nationwide is a great reference tool, and many plants native to Alaska are consistent with the standards of the Firewise program. The program promotes fire-resistant landscaping practices to minimize the risk of wildfires spreading to homes.

Pansies are hardy, low-growing flowers come in a variety of colors and are well-suited to Alaska's cool climate. Forget-me-nots, Alaska’s official flower, are delicate blue flowers are not only fire-resistant but also very beautiful. Lupines, with their tall spikes of colorful blooms, add a striking element to your garden while being fire-resistant. Columbines are a perennial plant that features unique, bell-shaped flowers and are adapted to Alaska's climate.

Remember to space your plants properly and keep them well-watered to maintain their fire-resistant properties. Do not use wood chips or mulch for gardening within 35 feet of your home, because they will be a hazard of igniting if embers land on them. Instead, use very small rocks like pea gravel or sewer rock.

In addition to protecting your own home, it's crucial to work together with your neighbors to create a safer community. Organize a neighborhood meeting to discuss fire safety and develop a community action plan. Your local government may help, and the local fire department might as well. Encourage everyone to create defensible spaces around their homes and to follow Firewise landscaping principles. Consider forming a neighborhood watch program to monitor for potential fire hazards and to alert authorities if a wildfire is spotted. There are a few neighborhoods that I have experience with that have worked together to remove beetle-killed trees from each other’s properties to make it safer for everybody.

You can also work with your local fire department to arrange education and training on preparedness. Invite experts to teach about creating emergency kits, developing evacuation plans, and using fire extinguishers. Many fire departments locally even have fire extinguisher props that allow you to use a real extinguisher in a safe setting.

Another way to contribute to your community's safety is to participate in local Firewise events, such as cleanup days or chipping programs. These events help remove flammable materials from the neighborhood and promote a sense of unity and shared responsibility. There is one coming up on May 4 in Meadow Lakes at mile 51 of the Parks Highway at West Lakes Fire Department’s Station 7-3. There will be many agencies and organizations present to answer questions and give a lot of training.

Protecting our homes and communities from wildfires requires a proactive and collaborative approach. By creating defensible spaces, choosing fire-resistant plants, and working together with neighbors, we can significantly reduce the risk of wildfire damage.

Christian M. Hartley is a 40-year Alaskan resident with over 25 years of public safety experience and public service. He runs a freelance business, Big Lake Writer, from home in Big Lake that he shares with his wife of 19 years and their three teenage sons.